BASIC FACTS

MAIN ORGANIZER: Slovak Atlantic Commission (www.ata-sac.org) CO-ORGANIZERS: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic, NATO Public Diplomacy Division, Representation of the European Commission to DATE: March 2 – 4, 2011 WEB PAGE: WWW.GLOBSEC.ORG LOCATION: Bratislava, Slovakia

LEADING ANNUAL FORUM ON GLOBAL CHALLENGES IN CENTRAL

With participation level of around 500 key security and foreign policy figures from more than 30 countries from both sides of the Atlantic, GLOBSEC Bratislava Global Security Forum has become the leading annual high-level forum on foreign policy and security in . Since establishing this forum in 2005, GLOBSEC has become a renowned and respected forum that has built up a solid reputation and today ranks among the major European conferences on global challenges. The mission of the GLOBSEC Forum is to put Central Europe on the radar screen of major European and North American capitals and to link the strategic transatlantic thinking with Central European perspectives. GLOBSEC has built up a reputation of a forum of extraordinary political importance in Central Europe, which was underlined by the first meeting and statements of the new ministers of foreign affairs of the V4 at the GLOBSEC 2010 conference. Watch the 60 second video presentation on YOUTUBE (put the word “GLOBSEC” to youtube.com browser).

TRANSATLANTIC COMMUNITY THAT MATTERS

During the last five years, GLOBSEC has become the meeting place of key figures of international community that have substantial influence on security and foreign policy agenda in Europe and North America. GLOBSEC gathers people of great ideas, influence and vision. The conference is attended by several ministers of foreign affairs and defence each year, representatives of international organisations, important European and US diplomats, academics and experts from the most influential think-tanks from Berlin, Brussels, London, Paris or Washington, as well as important journalists from international media. Our last GLOBSEC 2010 Forum was attended by six European foreign ministers, OSCE Secretary General, European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy and many other influential guests.

MORE THAN A FORUM: CREATING TRUE IMPACT

This forum represents more than interesting debate sessions, it creates a real impact. GLOBSEC has developed a comprehensive approach which makes vision and ideas influence official policies. With its unique program of side meetings and accompanying closed policy sessions, it has built up a capability to shape international policies and the transatlantic strategic thinking. The debate at GLOBSEC does not stay only in the main conference hall, it continues behind the scenes in closed circles of policy sessions creating real impact. Bilateral and multilateral political meetings and various focused policy sessions of experts and politicians represent a comprehensive approach that makes difference.

GLOBSEC 2011: VISEGRAD YEAR IN EUROPE

GLOBSEC 2011 will be political even more relevant and medially more attractive than its previous editions. Slovakia chairs the Visegrad Group. Moreover, two Central European countries will assume the EU presidency in 2011 – Hungary and later Poland. This will create a unique political dynamics in Central Europe that will allow GLOBSEC to shape the strategic debate in the region at the best possible time. GLOBSEC 2011 will thus become a platform for a joint meeting of foreign ministers, policy shapers and decision makers from V4 countries Europe and North America again.

IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OFFICIAL MEETING OF VISEGRAD AND EU EASTERN PARTNERSHIP COUNTRIES’ FOREIGN MINISTERS

GLOBSEC 2011 will have also higher political importance since it will be organized in conjunction with the official meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Visegrad Group (, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia) and EU’s Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belorussia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) during the Slovak Visegrad presidency. GLOBSEC 2011 will thus utilize the presence of several foreign ministers, key policy advisers and policy shapers as well as the presence of the international media and create an independent platform for in-depth policy discussions.

AD 1: During the conference, several accompanying sessions will be organized based on the availability of foreign ministers participating at the official ministerial meeting.

AD 2: The topics and number of informal lunch break out sessions or break out dinner sessions will be specified later based on the program of the official meetings of the foreign ministers.

AD 3: Please note that this preliminary topical agenda contains only working titles of the respective sessions and may be subject to changes.